Alpha-GPC can create positive effects in both your brain and body.
It promotes cognitive functions and has the potential to enhance an athlete’s power output.
This cholinergic compound has properties that also prevents symptoms of cognitive decline, especially in pa-tients with Alzheimer’s disease.
What is Alpha-GPC?
This supplement includes Choline, which in higher doses exhibits nootropic effects demonstrated through pharmacological studies.
Alpha-GPC, unlike other forms of Choline, boosts Choline levels in the body and brain when taken orally, offering various benefits.
In normal users, Alpha-GPC can improve memory, and enhance the ability to learn new skills and information.
When paired with standard therapy for Alzheimer’s at a 1200 mg dosage, Alpha-GPC slows cognitive decline and disease progression.
Athletes seek Alpha-GPC for its potential to boost growth hormone production, enhancing power output and performance.
The supplement is sold throughout the US online and in drugstores over the counter without any restrictions. Like all supplements, it is not regulated by the FDA.
Alpha-GPC exhibits potential in slowing cognitive decline and enhancing sports performance, warranting further research and exploration of its applications.
Other names for Alpha-GPC
L-Alpha glycerylphosphorylcholine, Choline alfoscerate, a-GPC
Editor’s Note
Users report that Alpha-GPC is a great compliment to their nootropic stack. It helps them feel focused and alert, without giving them the jitters or making me anxious.
They’ve noticed an improvement in my short-term memory, and also feel that they more productive when taking the supplement.
I can definitely see how the science behind how Alpha-GPC works would make it a natural fit for older adults.
Long-term use of the supplement offers a natural means to enhance memory and clarity without resorting to prescription medications.
An Alpha-GPC user reports:
“My husband and I are both in our 70’s and … we both have excellent cognition and mental alternates. We honestly believe that we function mentally above most of our peers… We strongly encourage others, especially older people to use these products so that they can more fully enjoy all aspects of a full life.”
Increasing dietary choline intake may yield similar positive effects, as argued by some proponents of this approach.
Supplementing with choline is more convenient than relying on dietary sources like eggs to ensure adequate intake of this vitamin.
Consuming enough eggs to meet choline needs (8-12 daily) may lead to adverse effects like elevated cholesterol levels.
Calculating nutrients in your diet for increased Choline is possible but complex; Alpha-GPC supplements offer a simpler, more easily absorbed alternative.
Taking Alpha-GPC generally results in improved attention span and better recall abilities without significant side effects.
Combining Alpha-GPC with Scopolamine can lead to interactions, particularly if you’re taking medication for motion sickness or IBS.
Overall, Alpha-GPC may be a beneficial addition to help maintain and improve cognitive function a well-rounded supplement program.
Alpha-GPC Reviews
There are no shortage of testimonials and support for Alpha-GPC as a both a brain and perfor-mance boosting supplement.
Blogger Love Finds Its Way chronicles her personal experience with the supplement saying:
“To be honest I have used Alpha-GPC, Neuro Peak, and Bio Energy. All these nootropic supplements help me to stay focused while writing long posts for my blog. Using nootropic supplements may aid in writing well-researched articles, particularly when tackling lengthy topics in a single session.”
Benefits and effects
It has a number of documented benefits to both the brain and the body including:
Improved memory
Alpha-GPC is best known for its memory enhancement and improvement functions. When the supplement supplies ample choline to the brain, it converts to acetylcholine, aiding memory formation and recall.
In patients with memory loss due to degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s, the effect is more profound. A higher dose has been shown to improve memory and attention tasks in most patients.[2]
Protect brain health
It aids in brain cell development and repair, serving as a neuroprotectant with anti-aging properties.
It may help maintain healthy brain tissue in younger users, in addition to slowing down the progression of dementia.
Increase power output during exercise
A pilot study suggests that taking Alpha-GPC 45 minutes before a strength test increased participants’ output by 14%.
Whether you’re an athlete or an everyday exerciser, these results imply that you can see physical benefits from supplementing with Alpha-GPC in addition to the documented mental improve-ments.
By producing more power in movements during a workout, you can get fitter, faster and without having to work any harder during training sessions.
How It Works
It is made up of three elements, choline, glycerol, and phosphate and is a principal choline source.
As a water-soluble vitamin, it acts quickly and typically crosses the blood-brain barrier within an hour of orally taking the supplement.
The Choline is a precursor to the neurotransmitter responsible for enhancing cognitive functions like recall, memory formation, improved attention and focus, and the ability to learn, acetylcholine.
When you take Alpha-GPC you introduce a surplus of usable Choline into the system, al-lowing the body to stimulate production acetylcholine and produce the cognitive benefits.
As it relates to sports performance, Choline is thought to also have a positive influence on synaptic signaling allowing the body to more rapidly heal muscles thereby increasing strength and power.
While the boost received from Alpha-GPC is immediate, they will wear off between doses so the supplement is one best taken daily and long-term.
As neurologic development and preservation are things that happen over time, the short-term applications and results are less impressive than the long-term adaptations your body will make as a result of taking the supplement.
Dosage
The recommended dosage instructions for Alpha-GPC depend on the goal of the user.
If you’re looking for the basic nootropic benefits, it’s recommended that you take between 300-600 mg daily.
As it is one of the most effective sources of Choline available in supplement form (approximately 40% potency), you won’t need to take as large of a dose as you would with other nootropics.
If you have a cognitive disorder and are using the supplement to help improve the deterioration associated with the disease, a higher dose is recommended.
In clinical studies, participants showed improvement by taking 1200 mg per day divided into three 400 mg doses in the morning, at lunch time, and in the evening.
Choline is a notoriously unstable compound, but in pill form, it retains its potency better than as a powder.
Side Effects
Alpha-GPC has very few side effects reported by users. This is likely because it’s an essential nutrient to the body.
In rare cases, users may experience nausea, headaches, or insomnia, typically when the supplement is taken in extremely high doses.
Users with hypertension should consult their doctor before taking Alpha-GPC. Avoid taking it if you are also taking scopolamine to help with motion sickness, nausea following a surgery, or to manage symptoms of IBS.
In scientific studies, it was found that a dose as high as 1636 mg in a 150-pound person admin-istered continuously over 90 days produced no adverse effects.
Stacking
It is capable of producing favorable results as a stand-alone supplement, but it’s also possible to stack it for additional benefits.
Commonly, Alpha-GPC will be stacked with Piracetam as they work in synergy to form a nootropic stack.
Combining the two allows the brain to become extremely efficiency at producing and converting the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine, potentially creating even more powerful cognitive benefits.
Additionally, Alpha-GPC can be safely stacked with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors prescribed to Alzheimer’s patients to help manage the disease.
Alternatives
There are a number of Choline supplements that have similar effects to Alpha-GPC. The three most notable are:
1. Choline Bitartrate
A Choline supplement with a higher concentration of Choline than what you find in food (though not quite as high as what is in Alpha-GPC), this vitamin is the best for converting into the neurotransmitter Aectylcholine.
While less expensive than Alpha-GPC, Bitartrate has one major drawback, it’s not as effective at crossing the blood-brain barrier.
As that is an essential step to the vitamin being utilized by the central nervous system, it’s not as effective at producing the nootropic effects.
2. Centrophenoxine
Although not a source of Choline, Centrophenoxine has been shown to provide similar benefits to Alpha-GPC.
Created to mimic the structure of DMAE (Dimethylaminoethanol), Centrophenox-ine can be taken as a stand-alone supplement shown to positively effect Aectylcholine production, or in combination with Choline for enhanced benefits.
Price-wise, the supplements are very comparable, though Alpha-GPC is just a few cents more per dose.
3. Citicoline (CDP Choline)
CDP Choline, also called Citicoline, is a slightly less expensive alternative to Alpha-GPC. In general, you’ll pay around $0.33 per dose of Alpha-GPC, and around $0.28 per dose of CDP Choline.
The main difference is how the body processes this supplement. In CDP Choline there is double conversion process, first digesting the supplement in the intestines and then supplying the Citicoline to the brain. As such, the effects can take longer to be observed.
Before deciding to use any supplement, it’s always a good idea to research and understand the pros and cons of each.
All of the above Alpha-GPC alternatives have merit. Though I prefer CDP-choline myself, you should look into which is the best solution to support your brain health.
Closing Thoughts
Maintaining brain health while boosting memory and cognitive function is important for everyone.
Your mind is with you 24/7 as long as you’re alive, and it’s important to keep it healthy and active for as long as possible.
It provides your brain and body with a concentrated dose of Choline in supplement form that would be very difficult to obtain through diet alone.
In doing so, your body then has access to the nutrition it needs to produce the neurotransmitter responsible for your memory.
Physically active users may also see benefits in addition to mental clarity as a result of the posi-tive impact that it has on growth hormone production.
It can help users produce more power during a workout, resulting in faster results without more time spent in the gym.
